Common Good Books presents We Sit, Paintings by Marley Kaul, Poems by Taiju Geri Wilimek

     Well-known Minnesota artist Marley Kaul (emeritus professor of visual arts at Bemidji State University) and poet Taiju Geri Wilimek will be talking about the book they collaborated on the evening of Sat., Feb. 9, 2019, beginning at 7 p.m. at Common Good Books (38 Snelling Ave.) in St. Paul.

   We Sit, Paintings by Marley Kaul, Poems by Taiju Geri Wilimek examines the dynamics of life and death as they arise every day through both art and poetry. The works were created independently of each other, then paired up in the book.

   About the Authors

   Marley Kaul was born and raised on a farm in Good Thunder, Minn. He says his rural upbringing has allowed for keen observation, helping him gain insights about “death, birth, growth, and family.” He became an artist, and educator, and a parent. After earning a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Oregon, he taught painting and drawing at Bemidji State University in northern Minnesota until his retirement in 1997. Since retiring, Kaul has spent most of his days in his studio painting. His work has been widely exhibited. He has also released two Books: Letters to Isabella, Paintings by Marley Kaul and We Sit, Paintings by Marley Kaul, Poems by Taiju Geri Wilimek. His writing and painting  can be viewed at marleykaul.com

   Taiju Geri Wilimek, a mother and grandmother, has degrees in both Philosophy and Social Work. In her early 40s, she confronted her mortality after a diagnosis of breast cancer. “Giving birth and facing death have been the most physically challenging and mind-clarifying experiences of my life. I am compelled to fully occupy my life, vowing not to waste it,” she says. Wilimek is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Bemidji, where she lives and works in private practice with her husband, Jay, a Licensed Psychologist. She says studying, practicing, and teaching mindful meditation in both secular and Buddhist contexts has informed and sustained her artistic and professional work. In We Sit, she uses her given Buddhist name, Taiju, to honor the influence of her Buddhist teachers. Writing poetry has been a lifelong practice for her that has been a quiet, personal way to explore being human.

   More information can be found at www.marleykaul.com.